Indian Butter Chicken Dinner for Two
Chicken breast in a tomato-forward garam masala sauce finished with Greek yogurt and a measured touch of butter. Served over basmati, with 69g protein per dinner.
Written and tested by
Matt McCabe · Recipe developer
Cal
644
Protein
69g
Carbs
72g
Fat
9g
Per serving · 1 of 2 / ~450g
Macros calculated from label data on the actual ingredients I used, cross-checked against USDA FoodData Central. Update the totals if your brands run different from mine.
Not sure how this fits your day? Run your numbers →
Prep
15 minutes
Cook
25 minutes
Total
40 minutes
Method
- 01Start the rice. Cook 120g dry basmati rice according to package directions. Fluff with the cilantro and a pinch of salt once it's cooked.
- 02Bloom the base. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter, onion, garlic, ginger, garam masala, paprika, and salt. Cook 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant. Add a splash of water if the spices start sticking.
- 03Cook the chicken. Add the chicken pieces and cook 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the outside is no longer pink.
- 04Build the sauce. Add the full can of tomato sauce and 60g water if needed. Simmer 8–10 minutes, until the thickest piece of chicken reaches 165°F internally and the sauce thickens.
- 05Finish creamy. Turn heat to low. Stir in the Greek yogurt slowly so it doesn't split. Warm for 1–2 minutes without boiling.
- 06Portion by weight. Weigh the finished skillet if you want exact portions, divide by 2, then serve each portion with half the cooked rice.
Notes from the kitchen
The spice bloom is the whole game. If the garam masala goes straight into watery tomato sauce, the dish tastes flatter. If you have Kashmiri chili powder, swap it 1-for-1 for the paprika. It's the traditional choice for butter chicken — deep red color, gentle warmth, not actually spicy. Worth the upgrade if you can find it. Add the Greek yogurt off high heat. The sauce should be hot enough to warm the yogurt, not hot enough to punish it. Storage: Fridge: store in a glass container up to 4 days. Cool at room temperature for 10 minutes before sealing. Freezer: yes, up to 2 months. The yogurt sauce may look slightly less smooth after thawing. Reheat: microwave 90 seconds, stir, then 45–60 seconds more. Don't boil aggressively after reheating — yogurt sauces can split when overheated. Pairs well with: cucumber salad, roasted cauliflower, or extra cilantro if you already have it on hand.
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